About Rev. Langeni

Originally from South Africa, the Rev. Phiwa [pronounced PEE-wah] Langeni is passionate about helping people understand that different doesn’t have to be dangerous. They are particularly effective in working with those whose identities align with the mainstream by helping people reframe society’s tendencies to lean into fear as the default. The decade they spent in St. Louis, Missouri fine-tuned how they embody the intersections of their identities. It also continues to transform how they invite others into the liminal space between what has been and what is yet to be.

Work Life

Phiwa is the Ambassador for Innovation & Engagement for the United Church of Christ (UCC). Having been an outsider for the bulk of their life, the Rev. Langeni is quite skilled at detecting and decreasing various societal gaps, especially with/for those with multiple minoritized identities. They are the Founder and former Director of Salus Center, Lansing, Michigan’s only LGBTQ Resource and Community Center. Salus is the Latin word meaning wholeness and well-being. Being a lover of words, Phiwa delights in the fact that it’s a word not commonly used, which lends itself to the co-creation of the evolving meanings of salus within the LGBTQ communities of the Greater Lansing Area. Additionally, Phiwa is the owner of a few small creative businesses, including their adventures in fashion design.

Education

A chronic student, the Rev. Langeni holds a Master of Sacred Theology (Chicago Theological Seminary), a Master of Divinity (Eden Theological Seminary), a Master of Science in Administration (Central Michigan University), a Bachelor of Science (Alma College), and an Associate’s in Business (Lansing Community College). Phiwa is currently exploring racism at the intersection of theology and technology in a Doctor of Ministry program at Ecumenical Theological Seminary. They’re also a Transitional Coach pending certification from the International Coach Federation.

Personal

Phiwa is the solo parent of an adult daughter who challenges them in brilliance and beauty, and the human of an adorable Yorkipoo who's got legs for days. In their free time, Phiwa enjoys reading, upcycling, 90s R&B, dad jokes, and creating all manner of things. Like vibranium in Wakanda, creativity is inextricably woven into Phiwa’s existence, strength, and wisdom.